Music for Worship this Sunday

Congregational songs at FirstLight will include Reuben Morgan's "I Give You My All," "God of Wonders," and Chris Tomlin's and Louis Giglio's "Holy is the Lord." Our opening songs will conclude with the Iona Community song "Come, All You People." We'll continue the ethnic feel in the music with the Caribbean-sounding "Halle, Halle." The Prophets of Praise will sing a setting of "Refiner's Fire" at the offering. Our closing song (and the last hymn at 11 AM) will be "Lord Whose Love Through Humble Service," to the Sacred Harp tune Beach Spring.

The multi-cultural music carries over to the 11 AM service this week. The choir will be singing "God is here today," a song from Mexican worship traditions arranged by C. Michael Hawn. Any time I have a question about global worship and music, Mike Hawn is my go-to man; thanks bro'! The choir will also sing the jaunty "Halle, Halle." To conclude the service, the choir will sing John Stainer's beloved "Seven-Fold Amen." In lieu of a choral anthem Ken Scott, Jr. will be singing a setting of text from Amos by Michael Barker. "The Lord Was Standing" (Amos 7.7-9) is from a set of four songs for bass soloist with piano accompaniment written in 2001 employing various passages from Amos. The music has a distinct modern quality while remaining definitely tonal. Organ music at this service is also by Michael Barker, his Psalm Suite for Organ: four shorter pieces which reflect on passages from the Psalms. These pieces are all heavily influenced by the music of Carl Orff. This will be the first public performance of all these pieces. The hymns for worship this Sunday will be "Praise ye the Lord the Almighty" (Lobe den herren), "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind" (Rest), and "Lord Whose Love..." mentioned above.

Music for worship this Sunday

The chancel choir will be singing an anthem by Lloyd Pfautsch, "Seek to Serve." Based on ancient chant melodies, this is a strikingly simple and haunting anthem. The text is a powerful prayer of commitment to mission and service. The choir will also be singing "Jesus Calls Us" to the tune Pleading Savior at the Introit. Mike Barker will be performing a hymn arrangement by Richard Elliot, "Lord Teach Me to Walk in the Light," at the prelude, an offertory by Dom Paul Benoit, and a weighty postlude by American composer James Hotchkiss Rogers. Global worship music will be a feature at both services this week, with a prayer song from Tanzania and a sung Prayer for Illumination which has a strong Middle Eastern tone. Congregational songs at Firstlight will include the classics "You Are My Hiding Place" and "We Will Glorify the King of Kings" plus "Made Me Glad" and "That's Why We Praise Him." The Prophets of Praise will be singing the hymn "Come ye Sinners" by Joseph Hart (1712-1768) in a new setting by Matthew S. Smith at Indelible Grace Music. Here is a video of the band at Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian in Durham, NC performing the song for their worship. Congregational hymns at 11 AM will include "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah" (Cwm Rhondda), "If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Thee" (Wer nur den lieben Gott), and "How Firm a Foundation" (Foundation).

Music for Worship 08-19-07

At FirstLight we will be singing "Come, let us worship and bow down," "Cry of my heart," and "Lord, I lift your name on high." The closing song will be "Shout to the Lord." At the offering the Prophets of Praise will sing a new setting of "The church's one foundation," by composer Brian Moss who is affiliated with Indelible Grace Music, a music ministry of Reformed University Fellowship.

At 11:00AM we will be welcoming the return (in force) of our Chancel Choir. Their anthem this week is G. F. Handel's "Keep me faithfully," from the First Chandos Anthem of 1717, arranged by Richard Proulx. Organ music by Handel and Benedetto Marcello with frame the service. Hymns from the Presbyterian Hymnal will be "Sing praise to God who reigns above," Fight the good fight," and "Take up your cross, the Savior said." The choir will also be singing "Guide my feet," and "We're marching to Zion."

Adult Handbells will rehearse Monday EVENING at 7 PM (no daytime rehearsal). Tune Weavers will practice at 9 AM on Monday. Prophets of Praise will rehearse Tuesday evening at 7 PM, and Chancel Choir will rehearse Wednesday evening at 7 PM.